May 21 Shibata | しば田

Shibata was celebrated across the Tokyo ramen scene as one of the best two or three new shops to open in 2013. The master, Shibata-san, served his apprenticeship at Raku-Raku in Kichijoji. He serves both chuka soba (shoyu made with chicken) and niboshi. Both bowls are outstanding.

Like many of Tokyo's elite spots, it's the simplicity and balance of this bowl that make it so outstanding. The flavors and textures work perfectly together. There's nothing missing and nothing superfluous. It's difficult to choose which of their two specialties to recommend, but we usually opt for the chukka soba. Chukka soba is traditionally a cheap, everyday variety of ramen, but Shibata's rendition is prepared with gourmet subtlety. The egg topping alone was possibly the best we tasted in all of 2014. Big eaters are recommended to order a large serving of noodles (just say, 'oomori'). Shibata also offers a tsuke soba (tsukemen variation), which is also flawless.